God Save Country If This Is Culture Of MPs: Air India Staffer

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad was named in two police complaints by Air India.

New Delhi:

Highlights

Air India employee was assaulted by Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad this morning

Gaikwad has bragged that he beat the staffer "25 times with his slipper

Air India has filed two FIRs or police complaints against the lawmaker

The Air India employee who was assaulted by Shiv Sena lawmaker Ravindra Gaikwad on Thursday morning has reportedly said in his written complaint that he was beaten, abused and almost thrown down the plane's stepladder. "God save our country if this is the culture and behavior of our MPs," Shiv Kumar, 60, has said, according to sources.

Mr Kumar, a Customer Relations Manager, was called in when the Sena lawmaker refused to exit the plane after his flight from Pune landed in Delhi around 10.30 am.

Mr Gaikwad, seated in 1F or the front row, was reportedly upset at travelling economy despite an open business class ticket that he is entitled to as a parliamentarian. He refused to budge even when he was told that morning flights are often all-economy.

Sources say according to the letter, Mr Kumar told the politician that 115 passengers were waiting to board the aircraft for their flight to Goa. But Mr Gaikwad insisted on seeing the "top management".

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"...He became abusive and used foul language. When I spoke to him in English, he told me to speak to him in Hindi and when I started speaking in Hindi, he used foul language and bad words against me and started beating me ...took out his slipper and started hitting me...the staff who were present tried to save me. He also tried to throw me out from the step-ladder but the staff prevented him from doing so," he writes.

He adds that Mr Gaikwad "...broke my specs and tore away the buttons of my cardigan and I was humiliated in front of the crew, security staff and the cleaners."

Air India has filed two FIRs or police complaints against the lawmaker and is reportedly considering a no-fly list of unruly passengers.

Despite being lacerated on social media and by other political parties, the lawmaker was unrepentant and justified assaulting the employee: "I said I am an MP, don't raise your voice. He said 'what MP? I will talk to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi', so I hit him. I am not here to take abuse."